UNREST

10.28.11

Tunisia Hit by Post-Vote Protests

Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

It seems Tunisia's first free election didn't go off completely without a hitch. Security forces have fired into the air in an attempt to disperse a crowd of protesters attempting to attack the headquarters of the regional government in Sidi Bouzid, the town that began the uprising that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Al-Jazeera reports that protesters have reportedly burned down the mayor's office and set fire to a court. The protests began when the political party called the Popular List had several of its seats canceled because of campaign-finance violations. The Popular List placed fourth in the election. The Islamist Ennahdha party won the election, with 41.5 percent of the votes.